Battlestars
Battlestars was a game show. Game Format Two contestants competed on each episode of Battlestars, with one usually a returning champion. The players were also designated by color, with the champion's podium being blue and the challenger's red. The object of Battlestars was to "capture" members of a six-celebrity panel. To do this players had to light up numbers positioned around triangle shapes, inside of which sat the panelists. The numbers 1–10 were positioned around the triangles so that each edge was attached to a number (1-4-5, 2-5-6, 3-6-7, 4-5-8, 5-6-9, and 6-7-10). The numbers were referred to as "Points of Light" throughout the game. The champion began the game and pushed a plunger on his or her podium to stop a flashing randomizer, and the number it stopped on determined which celebrity would be asked a question. If a number was attached to two or more triangles, the contestant chose which celebrity to play. If the number was attached to a celebrity who would be captured if it was lit, the contestant was forced to chose that celebrity unless there were more than one celebrity that could be captured by lighting the number. The questions were asked in the style of The Hollywood Squares, except that a celebrity was given two possible answers and had to choose between one or the other. Once the celebrity chose an answer, the contestant was asked whether he or she agreed or disagreed with the celebrity. A correct response allowed that player to keep control. If the contestant was wrong, control passed to the opponent. Any point if light hit remained lit, regardless of whether the contestant in control correctly agreed or disagrees. However, similar to Hollywood Squares, if a miss resulted in the capture of a celebrity to an opponent by default, the point remained in play. If the contestant in control lit the last point of light around a celebrity, even if his or her opponent was responsible for one or both of the other lights, the contestant captured that star and the background behind the celebrity was lit in the player's color. The first contestant to capture three stars won the game and played the bonus round. If a contestant managed to capture all six celebrities, he or she won a bonus prize, later $1,000. Because it was possible for the champion to win the game without the challenger ever being in control, a challenger who lost in such a manner remained for the next game. Champions continued to play until defeated or until they played the end game 20 times. When the program returned in 1983, the rules were modified. This time all ten points of light were lit to start the game and the object was to turn them off. Once a player extinguished a point of light, instead of using the randomizer for the next selection he/she simply kept calling numbers. The randomizer was only used when a contestant lost control. The goal was still the same, with three captured stars winning the game. The two answer choices provided to the celebrity were also displayed for the home audience; however, the contestants were unable to see them. Bonus game: Battlestars Two A famous celebrity face was hidden under 16 numbered blocks. The winner of the game chose three cards, each representing blocks on the board, which Trebek inserted into an electronic scanner in his podium. After the three blocks were removed, the contestant verbally picked one more square that would help him or her most. The contestant then had a chance to identify the celebrity for $5,000. For a week of Christmas shows in December 1981, the top prize was doubled to $10,000. However, if he or she gave a wrong guess or could not answer, the contestant drew up to three additional cards (one at a time) and could solicit help from the celebrities. The prize value dropped to $3,000 for the first card, then $2,000, $1,000, $500, at which point the player could choose any space to reveal, and finally $250. Trivia International Versions Merchandise Photos Battlestars (2).jpg Battlestars (1).jpg Episode Status Video See Also The New Battlestars Links Category:Game Shows A-M Category:NBC Daytime Category:1981 Premiere Category:1982 Ending